This invention pertains to grips, such as a golf club grip, and more particularly to apparatus and a method for facilitating the removal of a grip from its associated handle.
Hand grips are used in a variety of applications such as tools and sporting goods. The use of grips, particularly in the sporting goods field such as a golf grip, presents problems during the removal process. In the past the grip is usually removed by scoring the grip proper with a knife blade, razor blade or other cutting utensil. If penetration is too deep the cutting tool may score the underlying handle and/or shaft. In connection with graphite-type of handles, such as a golf club shaft or the like, this scoring may lead to a subsequent, undesirable fracture of the shaft during use. Such a fracture necessarily leads to an expensive replacement of the golf club or the like.
In response thereto we have invented a cutting tool for facilitating the removal of a used grip from a handle such as a golf club or the like. In our first embodiment we utilize a double-sided tape having a cutting wire longitudinally extending therethrough. The tape is positioned about the handle/shaft to serve as a base for the overlying grip with the wire extending along the length of the underlying handle/shaft. Upon fixation of the grip atop the tape with a conventional adhesive, at least one end of the wire projects beyond the affixed grip. For removing the grip this wire is grasped by the user and pulled along the length of the shaft. This action causes the wire to sever the overlying grip which facilitates the removal of the grip from the handle/shaft without the need for exterior cutting of the grip and possible scoring of the underlying handle/shaft.
In the second embodiment of our invention the cutting wire is embedded in the grip and longitudinally extends along the length of the grip. An end of the wire is made available for subsequent user manipulation at the time of a desired grip removal. Such manipulation causes the wire to sever the grip and facilitate removal of the grip from the underlying handle/shaft.
It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide apparatus for facilitating the removal of a grip from an underlying handle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a grip structure which includes an associated cutting tool to sever the grip.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a grip structure, as aforesaid, in which the grip is severed from the interior surface thereof.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide apparatus, as aforesaid, which precludes the need to score the exterior surface of the grip for removal.
Still another important object of this invention is to provide a grip, as aforesaid, which has the cutting tool embedded in the grip structure.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an underlying base for said grip structure which incorporates said cutting tool in the form of an elongated cutting wire embedded therein.
Still another further object of this invention is to provide a method of affixing a grip to a handle which provides for an easy subsequent separation of said grip from said handle.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.